fly away / home

i've lived in los angeles for just about a year and a half now.

in many ways, i still feel like a total newbie.

but, it's pretty amazing how easily and quickly one adapts to the weather here.

(i'm sure that's hard to imagine.....)

next week, i'm leaving for a work trip to italy, and if i'm lucky, i'll have a little mini break in london.

the trouble is..... what the heck is the weather like in those places?

for those of us who have been living in perpetual mild temperatures, any trip to a location with real seasons is a bit of a challenge. 

how cold is cold, again?

how many layers go under a wool coat?

is it weird to wear a wool hat with bare legs?

etc.

but i find it particularly challenging to pack for this upcoming trip, since the weather in both places is kind of in flux. it's springtime!

so, at least in london, i think that means it cold be a nice freezing rain, or a mild, grey day....

but in bologna? milan? 

here's the current weather in bologna:

and the forecast for next week is much warmer, with some sun.

but obviously, mother nature could change her mind entirely, and dump some snow, or decide on tropical, balmy weather......

since it's been so long since i've been able put together a layer-ladled outfit, i've been really inspired by some of these looks, from the blogs:

(photos courtesy of de quelle planète es-tu?)

 

(photos courtesy of the sartorialist)

but i'm afraid that i'll wind up wearing my l.a. uniform of jeans, t shirts, sneakers and some brass jewelry..... and carrying an umbrella everywhere.

have i mentioned that i never ever check my luggage? so, over-packing is not an option......

so what do you think? should i fill my roll-y suitcase with black tights, smart wool skirts & jackets and my favorite, neglected +j beanie?

or my new pierre hardy sneakers and a trench coat?

or what?

look, i'm leaving in a week, so i'll pretty much be spending every non-working moment figuring out the nuances to packing.

if you've got some tips & tricks, let me know!

give me liberty!

i have mixed feelings about the globalization of retail.

i will admit that it is really convenient to be able to pop into a uniqlo, an h&m, an american apparel or a sephora in almost any city you happen to be in, and know exactly what you'll find.

same thing goes, i'm sure, for designer boutiques as well. if you want chanel, you can find it in most major cities.

however, it also makes traveling much less interesting, when searching for souvenirs, and unusual pieces. it's nice to be able to say "oh, i got it in berlin/ tokyo/ istanbul/ wherever" and know that it can't be found at home....

one of my favorite stand-alone store is liberty of london. the history of the store and the brand are undeniable. i wager that most fashion enthusiasts have a soft spot in their hearts for liberty prints. there certainly are enough of them for everyone to find a favorite!

and, one of the best things about the store is that they apply these prints to every category of merchandise... from classic oxford shirts and proper english 'brellies to sneakers and satchels....

although you can purchase through their website, in order to get a taste of london.....

i highly recommend making a trip, in order to explore the beautiful "mock tudor" store, and all of it's nooks & crannies.

however, since i don't have a london trip planned at the mo' (damn it!), here are some of the things that are getting me in the spirit of london town.....

the classic.

i'm kind of tired of the cambridge satchel, but with a liberty print, it looks pretty fresh!

i'm obsessed with pointed toe dr. martens. pretty flowers are a cherry on top!

my morning coffee would look so pretty on this tray...

i suck at keeping journals, but this one sure is pretty...

fun shades!

liberty print ties always remind me of my dad....

one of these is always good to have for a london trip...

a classic scarf...

and some scarf print throw pillows!

i think these nikes are my favorite liberty collab. i don't know if i could pick a favorite!

some pretty dresses for a tea party!

here's hoping that some of you are heading to london soon....... there's tons of great shopping in london, but liberty is definitely one not to miss.....

cheerio!

another day, another find

and today, i have spent most of the morning attending print and textile trade shows. oh, the exciting life of a freelancer!

i met ana romero, who is a lovely lady, and a terrific surface & print designer, who just moved to nyc from portugal. i had spent a few minutes with her, drooling over the gorgeous designs, when i spotted a bowl full of iphone cases.

now, we'll have to back up for a minute, because i don't think i've addressed my phone situation here on this blog (lucky you guys). the short version of the story is that i still have an iphone 3g, and it's dying, gets horrible service, does crazy things and is generally unreliable. which is not good for a freelancer.

but i'm waiting for the next generation. which no one seems to know when to expect.

about 6 months ago, i gave my shiny turquoise case to my dad, because i felt guilty when he told me "that's the exact shade of turquoise which is my favorite color, ever". obviously, he had to have it.

since then, i've been looking for another case that struck my fancy. until today, no luck.

but check out this amazing one, designed by ana:

this was my favorite, but all of them were excellent. i'm sorry i didn't think to photograph each one for you guys!

ana just started making these, so they're not up on her website yet, but she told me that she'll be putting them up there soon.

and hopefully, once the new iphone comes out, i'll be able to replace this one with another one of her designs. but in the meantime, my old g3 is looking pretty good!

would if i could...

while i do really enjoy my new freelance schedule and lifestyle, unfortunately it doesn't provide quite as much financial liquidity as collecting a regular paycheck...

most of the time, this is just fine by me, but other times it's a bit trying.

like, right now, when the vintage marimekko sale is going on at 1stdibs.com.

since i can't do any purchasing myself, i thought i might be able to inspire you all. here's what i'd buy, if i could:

i really can't think of anything more fun and summery than marimekko!

spreading the love around

i've got two new articles up!

this first is on we can re-do it.

i made this clutch, and you can too!

the second one is on slow fashioned, and i'm quite proud of it.

it's an exploration of the collaboration between h&m and swedish hasbeens.

please let me know what you think!

r.i.p. twombly

so so sad to hear of the death of one of my favorite painters, cy twombly.

valli girls

with many fashion houses are canceling their couture runway shows, it's pretty exciting that one designer is adding one to their show calendar.

here are a few of my favorite looks from giambattista valli's first couture show in paris, yesterday:

whoever cast and styled the girls is genius- sasha pivovarova's super blue eyes pop so nicely with the coral color in the second photo!

what's another word for zeitgeist?

i love when things that i am thinking about, or getting excited about wind up in other media outlets as well:

apparently the folks at acne are psyched about ballet as well:

these are a couple of stills from a small video they did on the bolshoi ballet for their upcoming paper.

very excited to see more!

heartstrings

i almost cried while watching this video:

they've got me..... hook, line and sinker.





(i know i've been posting a lot of videos recently. i'm really only recently discovering videos on the internets that seem worth watching. so, indulge me.... particularly with this one.)

friendship? yes please.

the above quote is apparently from charles dickens. i must have skipped reading that novel, but i surely stand by the sentiment.

remember when showing a token of your friendship involved tying a mess of embroidery floss into a whole hell of a lot of knots, while watching after school tv specials?

well, given all the fuss that is being made about brightly colored bracelets worn in a tangle, i've been remembering those days fondly.

and while doing some research into another project, i ran across this website of friendship bracelet brilliance. and wanted to share:

if you are craftier than i am, you should go check out the site, as apparently it also has stitch patterns for each design. that's a bit too ambitious for me, but i am blown away by the things this woman has been able to do!

anyone want to make me one? ;)